


Mourning

by elyneri



Series: Nature Calls [7]
Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-20
Updated: 2014-06-20
Packaged: 2018-02-05 10:12:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1814803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elyneri/pseuds/elyneri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short one show about Beth after Daryl tells her about Zach's death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mourning

After Daryl left, Beth laid back down on her bed and opened her journal to the page she was on. She held her pen to the page and just stared at it. Her mind was blank. She couldn't remember what she had been writing. The words on the page wouldn't register with her brain.

"Beth?" Beth looked up from her journal. It was Maggie standing at her cell door this time. "Has Daryl talked to you yet?"

"Yea, he was just here." Beth closed her journal again and sat at the edge of her bed.

It was the invitation that Maggie needed to know her presence was welcome. Maggie came into Beth's cell and sat right next to Beth, her arm going around Beth's shoulders, pulling her in. Beth leaned her head against her sister's shoulders, accepting the comfort that she offered. "He was good guy. He didn't deserve to die."

"I know," replied Beth as she closed her eyes, "none of them deserved to die."

They sat there like that for a couple of minutes. Finally, Beth opened her eyes and pulled away from Maggie, letting her know she was fine now. Maggie got up to give her sister some privacy. When she reached the door of Beth's cell, Maggie turned back to look at her sister, "You know I’m here for you anytime you need me. So is Daddy."

Beth smiled. "I know."

That night when everyone had gone to sleep, Beth laid in her bunk wide awake, unable to sleep. Beth tried to focus her thoughts on music, trying to keep her thoughts from dwelling on the day's events. But as her eyes started to fill with water, a tear rolling down the side of her face, she realized she was losing the battle.

Beth needed fresh air. She couldn’t stand being shut in her cell waiting for the grief to consume her. Beth threw off her covers and got out of bed. She had to get out now.  
The cement ground of the prison felt chilly to her bare feet as she headed towards the exit. Moving around and the chillness of the ground calmed Beth down. When she opened the door to the outside, Beth took a deep breath of the warm Georgia summer air. As Beth moved further into the courtyard of the prison, it didn’t feel like the walls of the prison were going to collapse on her.

It wasn’t long before Beth notice she wasn’t alone outside. Daryl was leaning against the prison wall where Beth last saw Zach alive. The place where he asked if she was going to say goodbye and she said nope. Beth steeled herself and pushed those memories away. She didn’t regret not saying goodbye, she didn’t have the luxury to regret those things. Not anymore.  
Beth headed over to where Daryl was. The ground was still warm from the sun beating down on it all day. Daryl didn’t noticed Beth’s presence until she was almost on him. When he did notice her, Beth could see his surprise at her presence, but also his understanding. Daryl nodded his head in acknowledgement letting her know her presence was welcome.  
Beth leaned against the prison wall next to Daryl. They stood there in silence. The sounds of walkers against the fence filling the night as they each silently mourned Zach.


End file.
